President Dwight Eisenhower famously warned the U.S. about the "military–industrial complex" in his farewell address On Jan. 17, 1961. President Dwight Eisenhower gave the nation a dire warning about what he described as a threat to democratic government. He called it the military-industrial complex, a formidable union of defense contractors and the armed forces. Eisenhower was worried about the costs of an arms race with the Soviet Union, and the resources it would take from other areas such as building hospitals and schools. He also spoke as someone who had seen the horror and lingering sadness of war, saying that "we must learn how to compose differences not with arms, but with intellect and decent purpose." Another concern was the possibility that as the military and the arms industry gained power, they would be a threat to democracy, with civilians losing control of the military-industrial complex. Posted By Persist